20th Century CCC History - INVEST IN HUMAN CAPITAL
The president
himself, shepherded the legistlation through both
houses. ( See the selected draft legistlation, legistlation, and executive orders. ) It was signed into law 10 days later
and that introduced an amendment prohibiting discrimination on enrollee selection based on race, color, or creed. Over
the next nine years, over 4 million young men, military, Native Americans and War Veterans were put to work reclaiming the
country’s natural resources.
The men lived in government camps, food, transport, and clothing were provided, were provided with education
and vocational training, the Army supervised the camps, and paid most of the men a dollar a day and they were required to
send 83.3 percent of their pay of $30 back to their families. (What cost $30 in 1933 and now would cost $451.48
in 2007.)
Watch Ken Burns PBS Documentary Episode of the CCC "the Great Depression" on the right side of the page on Americas Best Idea
- the National Parks
The CCC gave America more BANG FOR THE BUCK than any other government program
with a nine year
record of accountability and legacy of strong tangible infrastructure that still stands today and see a few of our American
Living Treasures with interview videos of CCC alumni. American people must to urge our government to reactivate
and update the template of the CCC program which can put millions of work boots on the ground over the generations in performing and training in real green jobs
as they do actual work on shovel ready public works projects. Today
the drop out rate in our middle and high schools are higher than ever and when they reach adulthood they are facing unemployment
and minimal opportunity. Now all levels of government in all 50 states, US Territories down to most municipal governments
are budget cutting and laying
off staff from teachers to police and elimenating social programs as youth conservation corps programs. They are forced
to ignore backlogs of critical ecosystem and infrastructure repair that are deparately needed on our public lands, shores
and waterways. Listen to the fact filled commentary by Jim Hightower on the state of our infrastucture from the American Society of Civil Engineers.
Enrollees gather in Breen Burney Camp in Lassen National Forest, California.
As in the past, young single adult
civilians and 10 % of the CCC was composed of single and married veterans, and those who qualify and enroll in this program
would have an experience of a lifetime with fun, travel and adventure. They would travel far from home and live for
6 months up to two years working to conserve our vast lands and waters and be on the call for disaster relief. It
should be considered an alternative National Service!
They would earn money and send home a monthly allotment
for their dependent family or if they are independent would save their allotment until they left the CCC program.
All would be given educational opportunities on their off hours and recieve a similar grant for higher education as the GI
Bill after their service.
These young men and women would learn real GREEN JOB SKILLS as well as the work and conservation ethic. At
the end of their obligation we would as a Nation have more capable and more well-rounded members of society. They would
enter college or the public or private sector they would be competent and have better confidence in themselves.
They would all know the concept of teamwork that means for them to work in cooperation, to show flexability and to hone lasting
friendships to become our future workforce that can get the job done.
Marion
James is reflected in a plaque with the names of men who worked at Camp 3422 in NC.
The plaque hangs
in the Hanging Rock visitor’s center. (Photo by Lauren Carroll)
So therefore, the United
States Civilian Conservation Corps signed into law by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt on March 31, 1933...The United States
Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) was President Franklin D. Roosevelt's first "Alphabet Soup" initiative for the
common people of America and it gave them more 'Bang for the Buck' than any other government public sector program ever in
existence.
This program helped create our middle class from the depths of the Great Depression and conserved
our environment. For nine year, until 1943 it was a shovel ready green jobs program that mobilized over 4 million men
and military personnel doing a peaceful and practical mission on our public lands and waterway. There are millions of
acres of public lands and waterways that need maintained and managed and this public sector government program can do just
that for generations to come here and worldwide.
Meanwhile in the USA, we should and with the political will
we can reactivate and bring back the CCC right here in the United States. Our US Military (primarily the US Army) would
perform a peaceful and practical mission on our own soil and waterways. Our returning Veterans and military aged human
resources would have real fun travel and adventure and help rejuvenate our nation's environment. This can be a mid term election
issue in the United States and would be a non-partisan program to develop our young men and women citizens with needed employment
and to create our future generation of leaders. Then why we should we re-invent the wheel instead call for reactivation
of the CCC and bring back a real shovel-ready program already tried and proven and on the books!
CCC Enrollee
Oath
(Upon entering the
CCC, each enrollee subscribed to the following oath. It is a contract between the enrollee and the U.S. Government, and should
be lived up to in each respect.)
I, _______________ , do solemnly swear that the information given above as to my status is correct.
I agree to remain in the Civilian Conservation Corps for the period terminating at the discretion of the United States between
..................... unless sooner released by proper authority, and that I will obey those in authority and observe all
the rules and regulations thereof to the best of my ability and will accept such allowances as may be provided pursuant to
law and regulations promulgated pursuant thereto. I understand and agree that any injury received or disease contracted
by me while a member of the Civilian Conservation Corps cannot be made the basis against the government, except such as I
may be entitled to the Act of September 7, 1916(39 Stat. 724) ( an act to provide compensation for employees of the United
States suffering injuries while in the performance of their duties and for other purposes), and that I shall not be entitled
to any allowances upon release from camp, except transportation in kind to the place at which I was accepted for enrollment.
I understand further that any articles issued to me by the United States Government for the use while a member of the Civilian
Conservation Corps are, and remain, property of the United States Government and that willful destruction, loss, sale, or
disposal of such property renders me financially responsible for the cost thereof and liable to trial in the civil courts.
I understand further that any infraction of the rules or regulations of the Civilian Conservation Corps renders me liable
to the expulsion therefrom. So help me God.
From: "Your CCC Handbook For Enrollees" Happy Days Publiching Co., Washington , D.C.
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CCC Camp Information (1933-1942)
Average
number of camps operating in U.S. per year: 1,643
Total number of different
camps: 4,500
Highest elevation of CCC camp: 9,200 feet above sea level in
Colorado
Lowest elevation of CCC camp: 270 feet below sea level, Death Valley,
Calif.
Camp locations: Every state in the Union, plus Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto
Rico and the Virgin Islands
Total cost: $3,000,000,000
Approximate cost per enrollee per year for food, clothing, overhead, and allotments to dependents:
$1,000
Allotments to Dependents: $662,895,000
Number of people directly benefited from enrollees’ checks: 12 million to 15 million
Value of Work in 1942 Dollars: $2 billion
Miles
of roads built: 125,000
Miles of telephone lines strung: 89,000
Miles of foot trails built: 13,100
Farmlands
benefited from erosion control projects: 40 million acres
Stream and lake
bank protection: 154 million square yards
Range revegetation: 814,000 acres
Firefighting days: More than 8 million
Number
of enrollees who died fighting Fires: 79
Overall death rate: 2.25 per thousand
State parks developed: 800
Public campground
development: 52,000 acres
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| Believed to be the Commanding Officer at Camp ANF-2, Kane, PA. |
